STOP

forbidden entry

Number: 00-860-532000 Telephone for clarication: 0611-410923 Department of Permits

State of Permitland
A PERMIT TO ENTER BETHLEHEM
Name Father Grandfather

Issued by the

STOP
forbidden entry

Put your photo here

FOR YOUR ATTENTION

PERMISSION TO ENTER BETHLEHEM EXCEPT RACHELS TOMB

Family

1. This is a personal permit and it is not allowed to be used by any other person. 2. This permit does not entitle its holder to work in Bethlehem (i.e. this permit should not be considered a work permit). 3. The holder of this permit is permitted to enter Bethlehem for the dened place and purpose only and in accordance with the prescribed time mentioned in the permit. 4. This permit is only valid when the person carries a personal identity card. 5. The validity of the permit is guaranteed only if all the passengers of the bus/car in which the person travels hold valid permits to enter Bethlehem. 6. Access to Bethlehem using this permit is only possible through one of the crossing points in accordance with the written details of the order which pertains to the crossing points. 7. Anyone who nds a lost permit should hand it over to any nearby police station or to the nearest Liaison Ofce of the State of Permitland. 8. It is prohibited to alter or change any of the details in this permit. Any change leads to the cancellation of this permit and will expose the perpetrator to punishment in accordance with the law.

Resident in Purpose of visit: for a Christian feast.

Passport number

He/she is permitted to move without a magnetic card. He/she is not allowed to drive a car.

Validity:

The permit is only valid during the Christmas and Easter seasons. Daily it is valid until 21:00.

For the Department of Permits and Additional Restrictions,

The Coordinator and Liaison Ofce Representative of the State of Permitland Jan, 2012

VALID from date of arrival to date of departure

Date 1 Jan, 2012 Time 00:00

The permit perils Palestinians face

The text on the other side of this mock permit is not a fruit of fantasy.

PERMIT STORIES
From the Wall Museum around Rachels Tomb in Bethlehem

Except for the obvious changes in names, titles and periods, the text is literally copied from the permits the Israeli government or army hand out or do not hand out - to Palestinians from the West Bank when they want to go to Jerusalem and Israel. Palestinians from the West Bank face huge restrictions to reach Jerusalem or Israel. To qualify requires applying and paying for a magnetic card, and proving one has security clearance permission. If permits are granted at all, they are for short periods for medical or other emergencies, or for religious visits such as during Christmas and Easter. Few permits are issued for work, and many medical and other emergency ones are denied. Palestinians elsewhere, such as those living in Gaza and East-Jerusalem, also face huge traveling restrictions. In other words, Palestinians live as prisoners in their own land. From Haaretz 23/12/2011: Israel's Civil Administration issues 101 different types of permits to govern the movement of Palestinians, whether within the West Bank, between the West Bank and Israel or beyond the borders of the state There is a permit for escorting a patient in an ambulance and one for simply escorting a patient. There are separate permits for traveling to a wedding in the West Bank or traveling to a wedding in Israel, and also for going to Israel for a funeral, a work meeting, or a court hearing. [According to a checkpoint-monitoring organization] Palestinians whose permit requests are rejected "for security reasons" are often invited to meetings with Shin Bet agents, who then offer "assistance" in obtaining the desired permits in exchange for information.

I used to belong to the Anglican Church in Jerusalem and was a volunteer there. I arranged the owers and was active with the other women. Now I cannot go to Jerusalem; the Wall separates me from my church, from my life. All my life was in Jerusalem! I was there daily: I worked there at a school as a volunteer and all my friends live there. I rented a at but I was not allowed to stay because I do not have a Jerusalem ID card. We are imprisoned here in Bethlehem. All my relationships with Jerusalem are dead. I am a dying woman. Antoinette from Bethlehem I went to the checkpoint with my children after getting my Easter permit at the parish. As always, our rings and jewelry had to be put in the basket to go through the metal detector. My nine-year old daughter took off her bracelet. She went in and out of the metal detector several times, each time taking off something new but the machine kept beeping. Then the female soldier behind the bullet proof glass asked her to take off her pants, right there, in public. Can you imagine? Would you allow your daughter to take her pants off just like that, with everybody around? I told the soldier, Why cant you take her somewhere private to search her? She asked me to go back to Bethlehem. I told her, You have nothing to do here, go back yourself to Tel Aviv. Mary M. from Bethlehem

I am a dying woman

Stand-off

In reality you are most welcome in Bethlehem and Palestine

Sumud Story House/Arab Educational Institute

Bethlehem

For more information: 02-2746595, www.aeicenter.org